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Fiorina snubs Republicans, begins active fundraising

Does Carly Fiorina care what Republicans think at all? The very day after rejecting the option of taking day trips or making video addresses to Republicans gathered for the state party convention in Indian Wells, Carly Fiorina has begun making day trips to raise money. While this is a natural step for somebody who refuses to reach into her own deep pockets to fund her campaign, this does represent yet another stumble for a campaign that can’t seem to go a day without making a mistake.

It’s no wonder that polls show her running against Barbara Boxer no better than Chuck DeVore, despite Fiorina’s wide reputation of being a pro-abortion “social moderate.” One would think that a candidate who, in the public eye, neutralizes Boxer’s key issue of abortion would do better in the polling, but Fiorina’s failure to achieve anything in the polls is a testament to her failure to campaign effectively and to reach out to the Republican base. Republicans would be critical to her fight against the united front of the Democrat party, the unions, and the press. If she can’t get us on her side, she can’t win.

So why, then, does she snub us and instead turn to the deep pockets? Does she intend to run as a Schwarzenegger-ite “post-partisan?” Does she even have a plan for victory? Even Meg Whitman showed up to Indian Wells, made good speeches, and earned respect even from supporters of other candidates. She put pressure on her opponents, and Steve Poizner did not impress when he replied.

Senator Boxer will have to make a mistake if a Republican is going to beat her in 2010. I doubt Carly Fiorina is capable of applying the pressure to Boxer it will take to make that happen.

COMMENTS

  • bk

    Wasn’t their whole argument that
    1) she would use no resources that could go to other GOP candidates
    2) she would tie up lots of resources for Boxer that would otherwise go to some other Dem candidates
    oh yeah and
    3) then after all that she would lose the election to Boxer

  • The_Gadfly

    long for the relative competency of John McCain’s Presidential campaign?

  • Aaron Gardner

    Back in July Fiorina’s favorables were 7% with her unfavorables at 12% making a -5 approval index. As of Sept 25th her unfavorables remained unchanged and her favorables went up by 1% making her approval index -4.

    For DeVore we only have numbers from the Sept 25th Rassmussen poll, which shows his favorables at 7% and his unfavorables at 9%, giving him an approval index of -2.

    July Rasmussen poll

    Sept Rasmussen poll

  • http://brockwayfamily.spaces.live.com/ Erick Brockway

    She doesn’t want to spend her own money on a campaign the NRSC doesn’t even expect she’ll win.

  • texas214

    California GOP either with their record of success.

  • http://www.hakubi.us/ Neil Stevens

    And then how can she win?

  • illinoisconservative

    If ever in the past 20-30 years there was a time that was ripe for independents, it is now.

    I don’t follow California politics, so I don’t know how that would fly in that state, but nationally the mood is right, IMHO.

    An independent run would likely just guarantee Boxer’s win, however.

  • texas214

    Who was the last CA. GOP sponsored candidate (they held their nose with Schwarzenegger) to win?

    I don’t have a dog in this fight but if I was in Vegas, they would be a sure bet given their record.

  • http://www.hakubi.us/ Neil Stevens

    Plus a bunch of fine legislative conservatives.

    But seriously, tell me how she’s going to win if she jabs pointy sticks at the third of the electorate most likely to support her?

  • texas214

    other than the Insurance Commisioner (who by the way is a Texan).

    No disrespect intended to the CA GOP, but the example I would use is that if I were a Dem in Texas, I would want to start independently and then work to gain the Dem support. The mirror image argument can be made in CA.

    Kinky Friedman here in Texas is quite a likeable character, who oh by the way may run as a Dem in the next gubernatorial election. He still won’t win, but if he was a Dem first and character second no one would listen. Fiorina first needs to be seen as a respected alternative to Boxer first and then, oh by the way a Republican. Just the way it is in CA.

  • redtillimdead

    I’m almost certain she has stated she is pro-life

  • http://www.hakubi.us/ Neil Stevens